June 06, 2013 (Anchorage, Alaska) – Lars Flora, two-time Olympian and executive director and founder of NANANordic, is one of three U.S. representatives chosen to participate in the International Olympic Academy (IOA) from June 11 – 25, 2013, in Athens and Olympia, Greece. The other two are U.S. Olympic Committee staffers.

The IOA’s goal is to educate and motivate young people to use their experiences and knowledge gained from the session productively in promoting the Olympic ideas and educating others in their own countries. Flora will present NANANordic to the 200 participants from around the globe taking part in this year’s event.

“This has been an amazing journey,” said Flora. “We’ve introduced nearly 2,000 children in Northwest Alaska to Nordic skiing, giving them another winter recreation opportunity in a region where there’s snow on the ground eight months out of the year. This is just the beginning. Timing for the conference is great – we’re in the planning stages for our third season now. I’m looking forward to hearing ideas that will help NANANordic become even more successful.”

NANANordic was formed to introduce the lifetime sport of cross-country skiing to rural Alaska through a sustainable Nordic ski program, starting with villages in the NANA region. Two-time Olympian Lars Flora brought the idea to NANA Development Corporation in 2011. Funded by corporate and individual donations, Flora and 20 volunteers, in cooperation with the Northwest Arctic Borough School District, provided a month of cross-country ski instruction to 650 students in Kotzebue, Kiana, Selawik and Noorvik in 2012. This year, approximately 2,000 children in all NANA region villages, as well as Anaktuvuk Pass, had an opportunity to learn to cross-country ski from more than 45 volunteers consisting of Olympians, World Cup athletes, University and college coaches and elite high school athletes.

For more information on NANANordic.com or facebook.com/NANANordic.

June 05, 2013 (Bennington, Vermont) – Olympic Day with Olympian Andy Newell, presented by The Bank of Bennington, is a celebration and international effort to promote fitness and well-being in addition to Olympic ideals of Fair Play, Perseverance, Respect and Sportsmanship.

When: June 23, 2013,  9-11:30 AM

Where: Willow Park – lower Pavilion

Event Details:
– Ages 15 and under
– Enjoy games and fun Olympic style events
– Create your own Olympic medals
– Photo signing with local Olympian Andy Newell
– Come any time between 9-11:30am

January 25, 2013 (Obertilliach, Austria) – USA’s Sean Doherty, 17, won a silver medal in the Youth men’s 7.5km sprint as the 2013 IBU Youth and Junior Biathlon World Championships kicked off today in Obertilliach, Austria. Fabien Claude (FRA) won the race in a time of 21:12.4. Doherty trailed by 3.6s. Both competitors logged two shooting penalties.

This is the first World Championship podium for Doherty had the fourth fastest skiing time, and climbed five positions on the last lap of the race to finish second. “It is hard to believe that I have worked all of this time towards this goal but now it is here I am still a little bit in shock,” said Doherty at his third trip to the IBU Youth/Junior World Championships.

“My strategy today was no different than any other race. I stared the two laps skiing well but under control. On the last lap I got a split from my coach that I was in fifth, really close to third, and I just gave it my all on the last lap. My main goal is to keep calm in the pursuit and have a really good race.” Doherty will race in Sunday’s 10-kilometer pursuit.

“We are very exited about Sean’s race today,” said U.S. Biathlon Coach Vladimir Cervenka. “He did great and according his plan he saved his best for the last loop. It will be fun to watch the pursuit on Sunday.”

The fastest Canuck of the day was Stuart Harden in 20th place, while teammates Carsten Campbell and Arthur Roots finished 30th and 59th, respectively. Other North Americans include USA’s Jakob Ellingson in 62nd, Matthew Strum (CAN) in 69th, Jordan McElroy (USA) in 79th, and Brian Halligan (USA) in 88th.

Uliana Kaisheva (RUS) won gold in the Youth women’s 6km sprint in a time of 18:08.7 with only one shooting penalty. Anna Kubek (USA) was the top North American woman in 34th spot, followed by Canadian Sarah Beaudry in 36th. Mikaela Paluszek (USA) finished 65th and Leilani Tam Von Burg (CAN) tied for 71st place. Canada’s Emily Dickson was 75th, Charlotte Hamel (CAN) finished 80th, and Aleksandra Zakrzewska (USA) placed 84th.

Youth Women results HERE.
Youth Men results HERE.

November 13, 2012 – I’m about to board my second of four flights taking me from home in AK to Northern Finland, “Munio.” It’s hard to see on this map but it’s to the left of “Lappi” …. you may notice this is WAY above the Arctic Circle. Don’t worry, I packed some neon to keep things bright and happy….

My favorite wax tech helping me travel wax skis. I had this pic on Facebook earlier and many people are surprised by the number of skis I have.  Reality is, everyone has this many to be competitive at the international level.  Each one is for different conditions… different cambers, stiffnesses, grinds, etc.

Fast and Female Anchorage (last weekend) is deserving of its own post. I’ll try to write an update later. Basically, it was AWESOME and we had over 200 girls. Thanks so much to everyone who pitched in and helped out!

After the main event we took the opportunity to get a bunch of Alaskan women influential in sports together for a social/pow-wow. Women shared incredible personal stories and also gave updates on the programs they are currently involved in. We had everyone from Nina Kemppal (4x XC Ski Olympian) to Deedee Jonrowe (30x Iditorod sled dog racer) to Margaret Timmerman in charge of Tuesday Night races to Joey Caterinichio – US Ski Team Nordic Program Director, Rosey Grundwaldt – 2006 Torino Bronze Medalist, etc, etc. I wish I had had a tape recorder on the conversation because it was amazing.

Rob dropped me off at the airport last night. Always hard to say goodbye. He’s my biggest supporter. (Thanks for the help babe!)

Opp! They’re calling my name to board! Next flight to Frankfurt, then to Helsinki, then to Rovanemi & finally, a drive to Munio. I have a long road ahead!

More soon!
Holly 😉

The day before my departure I got this in the mailbox. I’m excited to be writing an international column for the statewide Nordic Skier Newspaper. In case you live outside of Alaska or don’t receive the paper, I’ve included my article below….

From Alaska to Europe & Back
by Holly Brooks

Eight years ago I moved to Anchorage because I wanted to live in a ski town. After growing up in Seattle, I craved a place where roller skiers weren’t considered freaks and I could see snow outside the kitchen window. I was ecstatic to find friends who knew of Swix Extra Blue and a spider web of fabulous trails throughout the city, complete with lights for skiing at night. I made my rounds of the local ski scene working at Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking, serving as the head coach for West High, spent six years as a coach for the Alaska Junior Olympic team and finally, five years as a fulltime junior and master’s coach for the APU Nordic Ski Center.

I started out racing in the local Anchorage Cup series; the Hickok, Pia’s Classic, the Sven, the Oosik, the Tour. Then, in 2009, I entered the American Birkebeiner and “lost” the race by what some called a “toenail” in a photo finish. In many ways, that race was one of the defining moments that inspired me to focus on skiing at a new level. Luckily my commitment and hard work was rewarded when this past May, I was named as an official member of the US Cross Country Ski Team.

Last winter I unexpectedly spent almost five consecutive months in Europe racing the World Cup. Needless to say, this was quite the jump from the Alaska community racing scene where I frequented the coastal trail, had a “handful of skis” thrown into the back of my Subaru or spent Tuesday nights doing intervals at Hillside with my friends. In all, I traveled to & raced in ten different countries and accumulated 26 World Cup starts. There were highlights such as my contribution to the best women’s 4x5k team relay finish in history and there were certainly low lights as well. Christmas night I was running on an icy road, fell & broke my wrist just four days before the start of the infamous “Tour de Ski” stage race. (I foolishly competed anyways!) This winter promises to be full of more tales and adventures. I’m by no means a seasoned veteran of the World Cup but I’m not a rookie either.

As you may know, three of the six US Ski Team girls reside and train in Anchorage including Kikkan Randall, Sadie Bjornsen and myself. We represent the USA, the State of Alaska and APU Nordic Ski Center on the International stage. This year World Championships will be in Val di Fiemme, Italy and in less than two years we hope to be “toeing the start line” at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

When driving up the serpentine roads to the racing venue in Slovenia or landing a chartered plane on an obscure military base in Russia to compete it’s easy to feel far from home and far from the people, specifically the Alaskans, that helped us reach the World stage. Realizing that, I’m excited to be writing a monthly column for the Nordic Skier that will attempt to bring stories from the World Cup into your hands. While I may not spend much of the winter in Alaska anymore I spend the spring crust skiing at Portage, the summer running in the Chugach and the fall roller skiing at Kincaid. While I love being on the road, my heart is always at home. I hope you’ll join me for the adventure that is the 2012-2013 World Cup season

If you would like to follow Holly’s ski adventures on a more regular basis, check out her blog @ www.hollyskis.blogspot.com

October 19, 2012 – Here is your CAAWS Newsletter for the month of October. “CAAWS” stands for “Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity”. CAAWS provides leadership and education, and builds capacity to foster equitable support, diverse opportunities and positive experiences for girls and women in sport and physical activity.

1. CAAWS PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE
CAAWS would like to thank you! – As part of its strategic planning process, CAAWS invited key stakeholders to complete an online survey to ultimately ensure that our programs and services meet the needs of girls and women in sport and physical activity. CAAWS would like to thank all those who responded to the survey. The findings will be analyzed and presented to the CAAWS Board of Directors at their upcoming Board Meeting taking in place in Ottawa next month.

Moving, Mentoring, Motivating Mothers – With funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, CAAWS will be offering a total of 15 incentive grants to groups and/or organizations interested in increasing physical activity and sport participation among Ontario mothers and their families. Through this opportunity, CAAWS is excited to announce the following recipients:
Project Amik Residents Committee (Toronto); West Nipissing Community Health Centre (Sturgeon Falls); Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte (Tyendinaga Territory); Community Living Brant – Ontario Early Years Centre: Brant (Brantford); Ontario Early Years Centre: Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office (Toronto); Flemindgon Neighbourhood Services (Toronto); Odawa Native Friendship Centre (Ottawa); Township of Tyendinaga (Shannonville); Oil Heritage District Community Centre (Petrolia); Centre des services communautaires Vanier (Ottawa); Grandir Ensemble (Ottawa); Sioux Lookout Mothers in Motion (Sioux Lookout); Terrace Bay & Schreiber Mothers in Motion Committee (Terrace Bay); and, Moms in Motion (Toronto).

For more information on CAAWS’ Mothers in Motion project, visit the website HERE.

Keeping Girls in Motion – CAAWS Executive Director, Karin Lofstrom, had an opportunity to sit down with Saskatchewan in motion – re:activity host Lisa Peters and talk about getting and keeping girls active. To see what Karin had to say, click here. re:activity is a multi-media memo to parents regarding physical activity. And the message? Your kids aren’t as active as you think they are. But the good news is that it doesn’t take a super hero to make physical activity the easy choice. To see more stories, advice and practical tools to re:activate your family, click HERE.

2. CAAWS IS LOOKING FOR THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN 2012
CAAWS wants your help to identify powerful and influential women in sport and physical activity. Next month, CAAWS will be seeking your input for its Most Influential Women in Sport and Physical Activity List for 2012.

Who is an influential woman? She is a powerful woman who is influencing sport or physical activity in 2012. She may be a podium athlete who has achieved national and/or international recognition, or has had to overcome challenges but lead by example. Perhaps she is a volunteer or a Mission Staff team member who’s donated countless hours to coaching or organizing. She may be making a significant impact in physical activity. Or she is an executive who has led an organization or team with a clear defined vision. It may even be someone in the print or broadcast media who influences coverage of girls and women at the Games.

Women previously named to the list may be nominated again. A panel established by CAAWS will review all nominations. They will develop the final list of the Most Influential Women in Sport and Physical Activity for 2012. See our past lists for info. CAAWS will be accepting nominations starting November 2012 – stay tuned for more details!

3. NEW CAAWS PROJECT – MAKING HEALTHY CONNECTIONS IN RACIALIZED COMMUNITIES: GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN’S EXPERIENCES WITH SPORT, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTHY LIVING
The Making Healthy Connections in Racialized Communities project is designed to enhance capacity at the community, regional and provincial levels to increase healthy living opportunities for girls and young women from ethnic communities. The project was funded through the Healthy Communities Fund of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and builds on On the Move, CAAWS’ national initiative to increase opportunities for inactive girls and young women ages (9-18) to participate in sport and physical activity.

Earlier this year, CAAWS hosted focus groups with ethnic girls and young women, and practitioners involved with sport and physical activity programs and services for this target group. The focus groups provided the foundation for a new report that discusses the sport and physical activity needs, interests and experiences of girls and young women from ethnic communities, shares successes and challenges from an organizational perspective, and provides recommendations to enhance program and service delivery. Available November 2012; email caaws@caaws.ca to request a copy.

In addition to the Report, the project also involves the training of 10 women as workshop facilitators, and the delivery of 20 workshops across the province. Workshops are half-day, interactive, issue-based sessions that provide an overview of the project, share focus group findings, discuss the complexities of race and multiculturalism in an increasingly diverse society as they apply to sport, physical activity and healthy living, and provide tips and recommendations to increase the participation of girls and young women from ethnic communities.

Applications to become a workshop facilitator and/or to host a workshop are now available on the CAAWS website – the deadline is November 30, 2012.

For more information about the project, click HERE.

To download the facilitator application form HERE (download PDF).
To download the workshop host application form HERE (download PDF).

4. ACTIVELY ENGAGING WOMEN AND GIRLS – CALL FOR SUCCESS STORIES
To support work to enhance the Canadian Sport and Physical Activity system and build on the Canadian Sport for Life movement, CAAWS is seeking success stories from national, provincial/territorial and community organizations that have increased opportunities for women and girls to participant and/or lead. These could include targeted Learn to Play programs, codes of conduct to make your team more inclusive, female-only coach certification opportunities, mentorship initiatives, and more. Send a description of your success story to Sydney Millar, CAAWS’ National Program Director, via snmillar@caaws.ca.

To download CAAWS’ CS4L resource, Actively Engaging Women and Girls: Addressing the Psycho-Social Factors and targeted supplements for NSOs, P/TSOs, Coaches, Program Leaders, Educators and Parents, click HERE.

5. ACTIVE LIVING AFTER SCHOOL RESOURCES NOW AVAILABLE!
PHE Canada has just launched its Active Living After School (ALAS) initiative as part of the Canadian Active After School Partnership (CAASP) funded by Public Health Agency of Canada. Developed to assist after school program administrators in delivering high quality programs that involve increased access and opportunity to engage in physical activity and healthy living, the ALAS initiative includes a How-to-Guide and an equipment Activity Kit to help administrators in support of their programs. PHE Canada has partnered with Canadian Tire Jumpstart to provide qualified after school programs with the ALAS resources at no cost. For more information on this initiative, click HERE.

Be sure to also check out CAAWS’ Active After School Programs for Girls and Young Women Resources which were developed to ensure after school programs are positive and inclusive environments for girls and young women: On the Move Top 10 Success Factors, Success Stories from Five Friendship Centres, and Policy and Recommendations. These resources were released by CAAWS as part of their involvement in CAASP. To view and/or download these resources, click HERE.

6. IAPESGW’s 17TH WORLD CONGRESS 2013
The International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women (IAPESGW) 17th World Congress 2013 will be held April 10-13, 2013 in Havana (Cuba). The conference will bring together interested scholars and practitioners from across the globe, who are working to improve the position of girls and women in the fields of physical education, sport, dance and physical activity. Sessions will include keynotes, symposia, workshops, oral and poster presentations aimed at facilitating the sharing of research and practice through exchange of knowledge, networking, discussing and creating new possibilities for the benefit of girls and women globally.

Deadline to submit an abstract is December 1, 2012. For more information, visit the conference website HERE.

7. NEW WEBSITE ON LGBT ISSUES IN SPORT
Sport, as an institution, has historically been behind the times when it comes to issues related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. But a growing push for social justice in sport has begun to transform cultural attitudes. A new website, LBGT Issues in Sport: Theory to Practice, was recently launched by Drexel University’s Goodwin College.

The website will provide public access to research focusing on LGBT issues in sport, with the goal of turning theory into practice in order to make sport more inclusive for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. The site will also serve as a resource for sharing research that has been vetted through peer-reviewed processes to facilitate a greater awareness of work being done in this field, and connect researchers and activities in order to impact public policy and education.

For more information, visit the website HERE.

8. UPCOMING EVENTS
While CAAWS is not hosting any workshops and/or presentations in the coming weeks, the following events may be of interest:

The 4th Conference on Recent Advances in the Prevention and Management of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity – Taking place Oct. 24-26 in Halifax NS, this conference brings together an interdisciplinary group of professionals and policy makers working in the field of childhood and adolescent obesity. Specifically, the conference will showcase examples of the best and promising practice across Canada, and across multiple settings. >From provincial level policies to school and community level interventions, and through practice-based management programs targeting multiple behaviours that are associated with obesity, the conference seeks to promote a solution-oriented approach to obesity prevention and management. For more information and program updates, click HERE.

Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Sportif – From November 8th to 10th, Canada’s sport elite will gather in Montreal, Quebec. The country’s top coaches and sport scientists will join senior leaders from our national sport organizations to analyze, discuss, network, and learn from each other in powerful sharing sessions. You will be educated, motivated and inspired. For more information or to register, click HERE.

9. CELEBRATIONS
Congratulations to Chantal Petitclerc on being named Canada’s chef de mission for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Active Healthy Kids Canada names Jennifer Cowie Bonne as Chief Executive Officer. Synchro Canada names Meng Chen as head coach to lead the senior national team in this new era leading to the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.

Marion Lay, CAAWS Founding Mother and former Chair, is being inducted into the Canadian Sport Hall of Fame in Calgary.

Congratulations to the following four women on being named Ontario Apprentice Coaches for the 2013 Canada Summer Games Coaching Apprentice Program: Jenny Trew (Cycling) and Helen Orton (Canoe Kayak) have been selected for the Women Apprentice program; Ohsweken Apprentice Coaches, Tiffany Van Every (Canoe Kayak) and Kathryn Hill (Softball) have been identified for the Aboriginal Apprentice program.

In the Loop celebrates women’s accomplishments in the sport and physical activity community. Send career notices, changes, awards and recognitions to CAAWS c/o sparker@caaws.ca to be included in the next issue.

Get Social!
Did you know you can connect with CAAWS to find out the latest news? Become a fan of CAAWS on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter for another way to stay “In the Loop.”

www.caaws.ca

October 04, 2012 (Fort Kent, ME) – Over the weekend of September 21-23 junior athletes from throughout the county came to the 10th Mountain Center in Fort Kent to participate in a 3-day shooting camp. During the camp athletes learned the skills needed to begin training in the sport of biathlon. They participated in a variety of shooting practices, running, strength and roller ski sessions over the long weekend in preparation for the 2012-13 winter season.

Focused sessions like this are great prior to the winter to help young athletes hone their skills while the weather is warm. This winter the Maine Winter Sports Center is excited to announce the 10th Mountain Center will be hosting the 2013 USBA National Championship over March 7th through 10th.. We hope to see many of these young athletes competing there. These athletes will also have an opportunity to participate in biathlon evens as part of the North American Cup races in Valcartier and La Patrie Quebec, and Jericho Vermont.

What is next? Junior athletes from throughout Maine are currently training outside Cody, Wyoming with MWSC Head Nordic Coach Will Sweetser. Here in Maine a group is enjoying fall training on Mount Desert Island, and we are preparing to start our regular weekly fall/winter sessions.

Parent information sessions will be held on October 2nd in Presque Isle at the Nordic Heritage center at 7:30pm as well as on October 4th in Fort Kent at the 10th Mountain Center at 7:30pm. Come and learn more about these programs. We look forward to seeing you all out this fall.

May 15, 2012 (Park City, UT) – Tune in to this week’s edition of Talkin’ with the Gravy-Train, as renowned sports reporter and announcer Peter Graves talks with CXC Director, Yuriy Gusev, at the recent USSA Convention in Park City, UT. CXC, the Central Cross Country Ski Association, has seen tremendous growth and success with their race team, aka Jessie Diggins, and various programs, and Gusev accepted the award at the Convention for CXC as winner of the cross-country club of the year. In this in-depth interview, Gusev speaks about his central motivation, which is to grow the sport of cross-country skiing, and the steps he has taken with his team to achieve that goal for CXC.

Yuryi Gusev

April 09, 2012 (Budal, Norway) – The annual Marit Sprint took place in Budal, Norway recently. “It’s a true fun to see all the happy kids,” Marit Bjoergen told nrk.no. After the race, the roles changed for the 2011/12 Cross Country World Cup Crystal Globe winner. This time it was Bjoergen who was hanging medals and hanging them around kids’ necks after Marit-Sprint in South Trøndelag.

In total, 350 kids took part in the sixth edition of event. Some kids were not sure if it was the real Marit Bjoergen supporting them on the course. “They are used to seeing me on TV, so they did not think it was me,” Bjoergen laughed.

February 22, 2012 (West Yellowstone, MT) – Snow is falling in West Yellowstone, Montana, and skiers of all ages are invited to participate in the 33rd annual Yellowstone Rendezvous Race on March 3, 2012. Race organizers have been busy marking the course and making final preparations for the event. The skiing has been great all winter.

Part of the American Ski Marathon Series, the Yellowstone Rendezvous Race is a cornerstone of cross-country skiing in West Yellowstone. Join hundreds of ski enthusiasts in this historic race. This year the race is proud to once again have Yellowstone National Park Lodges as its corporate sponsor. There are six different race divisions offered for skiers of all ages. Marathoners can enter the 50 kilometer freestyle race, which consists of two laps around the perimeter of the Rendezvous Ski Trail system. Racers can enter the 25 kilometer classic or freestyle events, and the 10 kilometer race is a great choice for those preferring a shorter distance. The 5k and 2k races are geared for kids.

Register before February 27th to save on entry. Race registration deadline is Thursday March 1st at 12 noon. Please visit www.rendezvousrace.com for more information, and find us on facebook for the latest updates on the race.

On Sunday, March 4th, the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation will host their annual Youth Ski Festival where kids 13 and under can participate in a variety of ski games including relays, musical chairs and more! Bring the family and experience winter this year. Day-of registration. Please visit www.rendezvousskitrials.com for more information.

February 21, 2012 (Kontiolahti, Finland) – The IBU World Junior Championships got underway in Finland yesterday and Canada’s Julia Ransom led all North Americans with an eighth-place finish in the Youth Women’s 10km Individual competition. The 19-year-old Ransom, from Kelowna, B.C., missed only three shots in four rounds of shooting, and finished with a time of 41:38.1.

Germany’s Julia Bartolmaes captured the first gold medal while Galina Vishnevskaya of Kazakhstan won the silver medal, with Norway’s Hilde Fenne grabbing the bronze.

Three other Canadians and three American women also hit the start line. Anna Kubek (USA) was 30th while Sarah Beudry (CAN) was 33rd; Tara Geraghty-Moats (USA) placed 44th, while Rose-Marie Cote (CAN) finished in 47th place. Erin Oliver-Beebe (CAN) finished in 50th, with Melissa Manning (USA) and Mikaela Paluszek (USA) finishing up in 58th and 72nd place, respectively.

Youth Men 12.5 km Individual Pursuit
France’s Aristide Begne missed just one shot on his way to gold ahead of Maksim Romanouski from Belarus, with the Ukraine’s Artem Tyshchenko finishing in the bronze medal position.

Calgary’s Christian Gow led the North American men in the 12.5-kilometre individual pursuit competition. The 18-year-old missed one shot in each of his four bouts on the range to finish in 11th overall.

Following Gow was Sean Doherty (USA) and Samuel Dougherty (USA), finishing in 26th and 28th position. Canadians Albert Bouchard, Stuart Harden, and Carsen Campbell finished mid-back (36th, 38th, and 41st place), while Nicholas Proell (USA) finished 55th and Jacob Prince (USA) ended up in 83rd place.

Women’s 10k Individual results HERE.
Men’s 12.5k Individual results HERE.

January 20, 2012 (Innsbruck, Austria) – The second xc-ski event of the Youth Olympic Games – a skate sprint – took place on Thursday at Seefeld, Austria. Canada’s Maya MacIssac-Jones qualified 15th behind Silje Theodorsen of Norway, to move on to the quarterfinals in the women’s competition.

In the third quarterfinal, MacIssac-Jones was drawn against the #5 and #6 qualifiers from Austria and Switzerland and Chun Ma from China, who had qualified only 0.3s back of MacIssac-Jones. MacIssac-Jones qualified for the semis quite comfortably in first, with Nadine Faehndrich of Switzerland 0.3s back in second, well ahead of the rest of the pack.

Racing in the second semifinal, MacIssac-Jones finished fourth, at 4 seconds off the pace of Jonna Sundling of Sweden. At this point, it was unclear if the gap was due to a fall or other issue on the course. Sundling ended up second behind Theodorson of Norway. MacIsaac-Jones finished a strong eighth overall.

Team USA’s Heather Mooney qualified for the quarterfinal, but did not advance and finished 24th.

In the men’s event, USA’s Patrick Caldwell landed a fantastic fifth place in the final, after he placed 18th in the qualifier. In the quarterfinal, Caldwell placed fifth for one of the lucky loser spots and just squeaked through to the semi’s. He repeated his good fortune in the semi’s to make the final, where he grabbed his top-five result.

Canada’s Matthew Saurette was 23rd in men’s qualifying, as Norwegian Andreas Molden was the top men’s qualifier. Saurette skied in the 5th and last quarterfinal for the men, with Chrisander Holth from Norway, the #3 qualifier, and Caldwell. Marcus Ruus from Sweden won the heat with Saurette finishing a bit back at the tail end of the pack. It was a fast heat, allowing both Holth and Caldwell to qualify for the semis as the “lucky losers”.

The men’s race was won by Molden. Saurette ended up 29th overall.

Women’s Results HERE.
Men’s Results HERE.

The races finish up on Saturday with the mixed relay, biathlon, cross country men and women.

With files from Cross Country Canada.

January 17, 2012 (Innsbruck, Austria) – The inaugural Youth Olympic Winter Games are underway in Innsbruck and Canadian and U.S. athletes are already making headlines. Here are the latest Team USA and Team Canada updates from the Youth Olympic Games newsroom.

Canada’s Chef de Mission Beckie Scott visits Seefeld Venue
Beckie Scott, who was the first Canadian to win a Cross-Country Olympic Gold medal, has paid a visit to Seefeld Arena to support her nation’s athletes and also check out the track.

Describing her experience as Chef de Mission of the Canadian Team at the Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games as “mellow so far”, Scott was accompanied by her husband and their four-year-old son Teo, who was kitted out for some fun on the slopes.

Scott enjoyed time on the track, testing the challenging hills at Seefeld as Innsbruck 2012 athletes trained in preparation for the start of the Cross-Country on Tuesday.

Read full story HERE.

Selyaninov Grabs Gold in 10km Classic, USA’s Caldwell 16th
Alexander Selyaninov (RUS) took victory in a time of 29:28.8, gaining a +11.4 advantage over Kentaro Ishikawa (JPN). Bronze went to Kazakhstan’s Sergey Malyshev, who finished +28.7 behind. Conditions were ideal, with packed snow, partly cloudy skies, and temperatures hovering around -7 C.

Patrick Caldwell (USA) was the top North American finisher in 16th place and +2:01.3 back. Matthew Saurette (CAN) finished 29th.

Results HERE.

Sedova Scores in 5km Classic, USA’s Mooney 13th
Anastasia Sedova (RUS), sister of World Cup racer Peter Sedov (RUS), won gold in the women’s 5km Classic at the Youth Olympic Games. Sedova won in 14:18, nearly +20s faster than silver medalist Anamaria Lampic (SLO). Lea Einfalt (SLO) made it a double-medal day for Slovenia when she secured the bronze.

Team USA’s Heather Mooney logged the best North American result with a 13th-place finish at +2:00.8. Maya MacIsaac-Jones (CAN) finished 17th.

Results HERE.

Takanashi Wins WSJ, Canada’s Henrich 5th
Sara Takanashi (JPN) won the Women’s Individual Ski Jump event with two jumps of 76.5m. Germany’s Katharina Althaus finished second with jumps of 71.0m and 72.5m. and Ursa Bogataj (SLO) took home bronze with a pair of 71.5m jumps.

Canada’s Taylor Henrich finished fifth with a leap of 64m in her first run and 66m in her second. Emilee Anderson (USA) completed the competition in ninth place after a first-round jump of 59.5m on the HS75 hill. She fought back to jump 65.5m in the second round.

Results HERE.

Lanisek Tops in Men’s Ski Jumping, Canada’s Korek 8th
Anze Lanisek (SLO) won the Men’s Individual Ski Jump competition in Innsbruck with two solid jumps. The first was 78.2m and the second 77.5m. Mats Berggaard (NOR) took home the silver medal, with Yukiya Sato (JPN) earning the bronze.

Canada’s Dusty Korek was the top North American with an eighth-place finish and two consistent jumps of 77.5m and 77.3m each. Team USA’s William Rhoads finished 19th.

Results HERE.

January 11, 2012 – January 1, 2012 marked the milestone of just three weeks to go until the largest winter event in the world. The inaugural FIS World Snow Day, set to be held on January 22, 2012, aims to bring children between four and fourteen – together with their families – to the slopes, trails and tracks, in a fun-filled day of events, activities and competitions on snow.

The inaugural World Snow Day will consist of 225 events in 39 countries.

The initiative falls under FIS’s ‘Bring Children to the Snow’ campaign, which was launched in 2007 and celebrates winter sports as a fun, healthy and social recreation activity for children of all fitness levels and capabilities. The World Snow Day 2012 will be the first event to be conducted on a global scale, joining the worldwide community in celebrating snow sports as part of a healthy lifestyle, and to foster global awareness of the importance of nurturing the natural environment.

With such as large number of events as part of World Snow Day, the variety is also extensive. Some examples include a winter wonderland in the heart of Tokyo; free ski and snowboard lessons across Poland; the Snow and Ice Festival in China; free skiing and snowboarding for kids under 12 in Lake Louise, Canada; Winter Sports Festival in Lake Placid USA; free ski and snowboard lessons India; and a world record attempt in La Molina, Spain.

Countries participating include America, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Japan, Iceland, Australia, Russia and Spain, amongst others. The event’s motto to ‘Explore, Experience and Enjoy the Snow’ will be consistently shared across the world, whilst the worldwide festivities will adhere to the unique identity of each location.

From the 1st January 2012, FIS will also be partnering with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Eurosport and Infront Sports & Media to broadcast a World Snow Day TV trailer across the globe. In addition, a virtual World Snow Day promotional campaign has been launched where activities will be featured on the various FIS websites and social media channels for the final days leading into the inaugural event.

For more information on World Snow Day please visit www.world-snow-day.com

April 16, 2011 – Make sure that you get in the game and be a part of Canada’s biggest celebration of sport on September 17. The second annual Sports Day in Canada is shaping up to be a spectacular event showcasing Canada’s love affair with sport – from our youngest fledgling athletes, to elite world class competitors.

Get Your Sport Involved!
Brought to you by CBC Sports, ParticipACTION and True Sport, Sports Day in Canada is a national celebration of sport at all levels in communities across the country. Again this year, local organizations, schools and clubs, big and small, are invited to host open-houses, try it days, competitions and tournaments in the week leading up to and including Sports Day on September 17.

CBC Sports will be delivering extensive coverage of Sports Day in Canada across the nation, and your sports event could be featured in the broadcast, earned media or on-line, so save the date, and start planning your events now – you don’t want to be left on the sidelines.

Sports Day in Canada is made possible by the financial support of the government of Canada through the department of Canadian Heritage (Sport Canada). For more information about Sports Day in Canada and to find out when you can register your event on-line, sign-up for our updates at www.cbcsports.ca/sportsday.

March 08, 2011 (Minneapolis, MN) – The 2011 Junior Olympics are underway in Minneapolis, running March 7-12. The event venue, Theodore Wirth Regional Park, highlights the vibrancy of skiing in a large metropolitan area for the first time in the history of the Nordic Junior Olympics. The week-long event provides opportunities for athletes, coaches and spectators to enjoy exciting race events, to socialize at spectacular venues, and to spend time together cheering along the courses.

The state of Nordic skiing in the Twin Cities and out-state regions of Minnesota and Wisconsin is alive and well with thousands of Nordic skiers in the communities. Minnesota’s Youth Ski League is one of the nation’s premier youth skiing programs with over 1,290 young skiers and the Minnesota State High School League state championship race is the largest state competition in the nation.

Day 1 Sprints
Monday’s Junior Olympic sprint competition at Wirth Park was a staggering success. After the noon qualifiers and early afternoon quarters, a select 72 skiers earned the right to compete under the lights in the evening’s semis and finals.

The night racing was uniquely special, as athletes competed on a lit course accented by luminaries and with a view of the Minneapolis skyline. In his post-race interview, boy’s J1 winner Logan Hanneman, called the venue, “Sick!” (a complement!). Hanneman, who has been around the world as a ski racer (Scando Cup team the last two years), especially wanted to praise the course and the volunteers, “It sounds cliché to complement the race, but in this case it’s legitimate. It’s sweet racing in a city environment.”

By the event’s 8:00 pm conclusion, six athletes had earned themselves the right to call themselves national champions. Not only did they win their final race of the night, but they also endured the pressure and fatigue of a long day at the venue, demonstrating more than just speed.

J2 boy’s winner, New England’s Hamish McEwen felt right at home at Wirth Park. McEwen, who took the overall win after qualifying in first position in the morning, calls the Weston Ski Track in Cambridge, Massachusetts home. Weston, located just outside of Boston, is a golf course with 15 kilometers of ski trails. Wirth Park, McEwen says, is “a lot like Weston.”

McEwen reports that he has done the training to back up his win. As he puts it, “I ski a lot” and estimated his training volume as being 450-500 hours last year.

Like McEwen, the other medalists in the boy’s J2 race, showed consistency through out the heats. Second place Thomas O’Harra (Alaska’s East HS) and third place Haakon Sigurslid (Rocky Mountain’s Durango HS) qualified in third and second respectively in the morning.

On paper, Marion Woods (Alaska’s Dimond HS) was a clear favorite in the girls J2 field. Though only a J2, she participated in this year’s Scando Cup J1 Trip, and was recently runner-up in the notoriously difficult Alaska State Championships. Nevertheless, after she crossed the line for the win in the final, she appeared delighted by what she had accomplished, and called JOs, “the ultimate in scale.” Behind Woods, New England scored critical points by putting two on the podium: Brooke Mooney (Stratton Mountain School) finished second after winning the morning’s qualification, and Heidi Halvorsen (Green Mountain Valley School) took third.

In the J1 boy’s field, Logan Hanneman (Lathrop HS) added another win to a successful season. Logan’s win, two weeks after his dominating win at the Alaska State Championships, is especially sweet given his health at this time last year. In 2010, he was unable to fulfill his end of season goals after he was diagnosed with mono around State Championships time. This year, his season started slowly (he had additional health problems in the fall), but now he finds himself peaking at the end of the season, in his words, “getting better and better” each day. Behind Hanneman were three Midwest skiers successfully representing their home region (second: Andy Dodds of Apple Valley HS, third: Kevin Bolger of Lakeland HS in Wisconsin, and fourth: Ben Saxton of Lakeville North HS.)

The girls J1 final was a show of dominance by New England. Heather Mooney (Stratton Mountain School) won by a decisive ten or so meters, and teammates Corey Stock (Cambridge Sports Union), Cambria McDermott (Stratton Mountain School), Tara Geraghty-Moats, and Rachel Hall (Stratton Mountain School) filled positions two through five. The group would not quite acknowledge that a sweep was their plan for the day, they said, “We knew we had the potential to do it. We woke up this morning ready to make the A-Final.”

Junior World Championships teammates and good friends Skylar Davis (Stratton Mountain School) and George Cartwright (High Plains, Northern Michigan University) knew it was likely to come down to one of the two of them for the win. Skylar acknowledged coming into the final really psyched; right before the final, he ate a Powerbar gel blast (cola), which “really got him going.” He made his move on the hill, gaining a few critical seconds on Cartwright and then held him off, although he was “completely spent in the lanes” and could hear people yelling for George, who finished second. Third went to the Midwest’s Ben Hugus, a Northern Michigan University skier, who won the Korteloppet two weeks ago.

For the hometown audience, the best race came last as Afton, Minnesota’s Jessie Diggins, recently returned home from the World Championships, lived up to her billing with a decisive win. Diggins was completely humble despite the triumphs of her 2011 season. She said that she had to “go all out,” and that she was happy to be competing against “such great girls. It’s a great privilege to race against them.” When asked to compare her experience at the Minneapolis Junior Olympics to her recent adventures at the Holmenkollen World Championships, she said, “Holmenkollen is cool, but a hometown crowd is even cooler.”

Full results HERE.